Hello Fam :)

Happy Reading...

Monday, A day after the contract sign.

Nandu's Cabin

Fab5 along with Navya were in Nandu's cabin. Nandini hasn't arrived yet and Manik was pacing to and fro.

Cabir(in a serious tone): Ise aaj kal exercise karne ka time nahi milta kya, kahi bhi apna ramp walk start kar deta hai?

Dhruv(glared): Cabir, tujhe har din buddy ko pareshan kare bina shanti nahi milti kya?

Cabir(declared): Ye mera janam sidh adhikar hai.

Alya(chuckles): Cabir, how dramatic you have become.

Navya(amused): Acha? Pehle theek tha kya?

Cabir(proudly): Arey Navya ji, yeh sab pagal hai. Inki baato ko seriously mat lo. Hum paidaishi cool hue the.

Manik(screamed): SHUT UP

Mukti goes towards him and rubs his hand to calm him.

Mukti(concerned): Tu yeh subah se itna pareshan kyun hai?

Manik(frustrated): Mukti yaar, Nandu mujhe kal se nahi dikhi.

Cabir(teased): Tera Majnu mode kuch jyada hi chalta hai aajkal.

Manik(helplessly): Cabir please yaar. This isn't a joke. Uska call bhi nahi lag raha hai kal se.

Everyone becomes serious listening to him. Mukti hugs him sideways.

Cabir(worried): Manik, tune pehle kyun nahi bataya. Ghar jakar check karte na ek bar.

Manik(nervously): She wasn't picking up her call since yesterday and we were busy with the practice.

Dhruv(softly): Manik, practice isn't more important than her safety, right?

Manik(mumbled): I thought she might be busy with her work. Isiliye call nahi uthaya hoga but..

Alya(impatiently): But what, Manik?

Manik(scared): I went to her home today before coming to office. Kaka ne bola she left home early in the morning. Ab tak office bhi nahi aayi.

Navya(disturbed): I hope she is fine. Manik, tumne Abhimanyu ko call kiya.

Manik(informed): Uska bhi call nahi lag raha tha. But, he went out of town for a meeting. The place has some network problems. He might be on his way to the office.

Just then, Abhimanyu comes to Nandu's cabin with some bunch of flowers in his hands. Seeing everyone tensed, he gets confused.

Abhi(waving): Hello guys. Tum sab yahan kya kar rahe ho?

Mukti(worried): Abhimanyu, where's Nandini?

Abhi(casually): Nandu? Cabin mein nahi hai matlab shayad ghar par hogi na.

Manik(tensed): Abhimanyu, she isn't at home. Main gaya tha wahan.

Abhi(smiled): Manik, she might be at my home. I asked her to bring a file of mine.

Cabir(raising an eyebrow): Bhai, did you talk to her. Manik ka call bhi nahi lag raha kal se.

Abhi(coolly): Nahi. Actually, mere mobile mein network problem tha na, toh I messaged her.

Mukti(frowning): Did she reply you?

Abhi(confused): nahi. But that's pretty normal. Woh aise messages ke liye kabhi mujhe reply nahi deti. (Grinning) But woh zaroor file lekar aayegi.

Manik pounced upon him.

Manik(screamed): Apni file khud nahi la sakta?

Abhi(dramatically): Arey main direct meeting se aa raha hun. Puri raat drive kiya maine. Look at my eyes how red they have become.

Manik(angrily): we are worried for your sister and tu yahan joke maar raha hai. Do you even love her?

Abhi(pouted): I am not joking. Mujhe sach mein neend aa rahi hai. And I love my babydoll. Tu mere pyar par shak kar raha hai? Mere pyar par?

Nandini who enters the cabin listens to the last line.

Nandu(puzzled): Kiske pyar par kaun shak kar raha hai?

Everyone turned towards her. Abhimanyu went and hugged her. Manik sighed in relief seeing her all fine and only one word escaped from his mouth as a mere whisper.

'NANDINI'

Breaking the hug, Abhimanyu gave her the flowers which he brought along with him.

Abhi(excited): Babydoll, tune mujhe kitna miss kiya?

Nandu(chuckles): Abhimanyu, hum kal subah hi mile the.

Abhi(grinning): Haan toh 24 hours ho gaye na.

While they were busy talking to each other, Manik unknowingly walked towards her, all the while staring at her.

Nandu(confused): Manik?

Abhimanyu stepped aside seeing Manik. Without breaking their eye-lock, Manik hugged her to his dearest life to assure himself, confusing her furthermore.

Breaking the hug, Manik spoke.

Manik(sternly): I was trying to call you since yesterday. Tum phone kyun nahi utha rahi thi?

Nandu(in a low voice): I was busy.

Manik(raising an eyebrow): kahan?

Nandu(stammered): Manik, kal sunday tha. I didn't skip any office work.

Manik(softly): Maine woh nahi pucha.

Nandu(avoiding eye contact): Haan toh I am not answerable to you if it's not related to work.

Abhi(raising his voice slightly): What the hell, Nandini? What's wrong with you?

Alya(angrily): Exactly, Why are you being rude to him? Do you know how worried he was for you?

Hearing them shout on her, especially Abhimanyu, scared her. Looking down, she was thinking of a way to escape from there when she heard Manik's voice.

Manik: Guys relax.

He forcefully makes Nandu look at him through her chin.

Manik(questioned): kaunsi book thi?

Nandu(looking down): Universe in your hands.

[A/N - My current favorite. Interested people can give it a try :P]

Manik(chuckled): ho gaya khatam?

Nandu nods in a 'no'.

Manik(smiled): Don't worry. Aaj khatam ho jayega. Maddy will come to meet you to discuss things regarding the band. I will be in my cabin. Give me a call if you need anything.

They leave the cabin except Manik, who stayed back because of her calling him.

Manik(puzzled): Kuch chahiye tumhe?

Nandu(nervously): I am sorry for being rude to you. I was actually..

Manik(cutting her off): trying to avoid the topic because you thought I will shout on you for making me worried.

Nandu(astonished): Tumhe itna sab kaise pata.

Manik(grinning): Itna toh main tumhe janta hun na, Nandu. You can never be rude to anyone, at least not intentionally.

Patting her cheek lightly he left making her smile.

Manik's cabin

Everyone was waiting for Manik's answers. As soon as he came there, they shot their questions at him.

Alya(raising an eyebrow): What was that Manik, that happened sometime back in Nandu's cabin?

Manik(chuckles): She realized she made us worry. So, she was afraid talking to us. Hence, avoiding us.

Abhi(baffled): But Manik, how do you know that she was busy with a book?

Cabir(teased): Kyunki vo majnu hai.

Manik glared him. After few minutes, everyone dispersed to their cabin. Fab5 went to the jam room for practice.